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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Fashion Structures

To inaugurate the new Resnick pavilion, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art brings us Fashioning Fashion, an exploration of fabrics, cuts, trims etc. from the late 18th century to the 1910's. The exhibition is very poorly staged, compared to the recent fashion show about American women, at the Met, which featured settings and characters seemingly interacting. Here, each piece is displayed in a box, archive-style. What a lost opportunity!

Next week I will show you my favorite pieces, but in the meantime here are some dramatic fashion structures - various kinds of corsets and other "figure enhancing" devices that are tremendously architectural. By the way, the show also features padded jackets to make men's chests seem bulkier and "waist binders," also for men.One fascinating phenomenon is how developments in technology allow fashion to be transformed - case in point, this metal panier that could be created thanks to breakthroughs in the use of steel.

Contrasting with all those metal structures, supreme designer Paul Poiret's exquisite 1915 brassière (below) offers another type of support altogether...

Hi Mary-LaureThat brassière is so sweet.. and would be fabulous even today.. Thanks goodness we don't need to wear girdles anymore.. that may look lovely from a nostalgic view.. but I wouldn't last a minute!!!

SOLANGE - I remember a baby sitter braiding my hair when I was little and, as I complained that it hurt, she told me "Il faut souffrir pour être belle" (you must suffer to be beautiful), which is a French saying. I think it's sad to still believe that, especially as it's something that's onyl said to girls!

Cher Mary-Laure.... it is amazing to see what we women were subjected to - all in the name of fashion! Mon Dieu! I have worn a few of these in "period plays"....and truly, it hurt to sit down and to breathe..... I am guessing that is why it was so commoon for women to faint....you gasp for air, get none - and pass out!

ROBIN - I know what you mean. I had to wear a period dress once too (18th century style) for a modeling/movie promotion gig in Tokyo of all places (!!!) and I remember, when I took it off, what a RELIEF to be able to move and breathe again. Sheer torture.

Ah, I had forgotten Poiret whom I used to read about so often in history books of that time. It seems to alien to us now being constricted by there structures and just imagine how long it took getting dressed! Still, they're so fascinating to look at.